COMMUNITY SINGING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4457, 23 August 1922, Page 2

COMMUNITY SINGING.

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL NIGHT.

Despite the unprppitious weather last night’s sing-song in the Central Theatre was a decided success. There was a large crowd present, and but few empty seats. Mr Marshall was in the chair,, Mrs Cooke officiated at the piano, and Mr Foster (junr.) conducted the singing.

Mr Marshall said the speeches must inevitably come first, and spoke oi the popularity of community singing. They would have a happy hour, despite. class, creed, or circumstance, and he asked everybody to put their exuberance of spirits into the singing. He made passing reference to the Borough Council’s muddy roads. Those who were present must sing louder to make up fpr those who were absent.

As is usual the opened with the National Anthem, the “Cheer Germ” song following. “There’s a long, long trail” brought forth a good volume of sound, especially from the back seats in the gallery. “It’s a short, short life" was sung as a second chorus to “There’s a long, long trail.’’ The ladies sang “When the great red dawn is shining,” and were loudly applauded by the men, who, when they sang their portion, had similer applause from the ladies. Mr Foster said "Mary” was a song they had not sung before, and he volunteered to sing the verse, the rest joining in the chorus. With “Mary ’ finished with, Mr Foster asked for a volunteer to sing the verse of “Peggy O’Neil,” and Mr Derbyshire did it so weil that he was loudly applauded. After the singing of "Till the sands of the desert grow cold” Mr Foster said he had heard a lovely soprano take the top “a," and to enable him to hear it again he had tiie audience sing it row by row. While introducing “Three blind mice” Mr Foster said "We’ll take this row, then that row, and then the aristocrats in the gallery.” The round went off very well, the singing being loud at the start, and under the direction of the conductor grew softer, then louder and louder, till the finish. After a couple of attempts it proved very effective, but the “aristocrats” could have performed much better. The lines of “The old folks at home” were sung alternately by the ground floor and the gallery, then Mr Foster sang “Love’s old sweet song,” all' joining in on the second time through. The song which caused the most amusement was “John Brown’s body,” the chorus of which gave place to the army version, “They were only playing leap frog.” Mr Conductor gave careful Instructions regarding jumping grasshoppers and instructed everybody to nod on occasions when they were to miss a word. They sang it right through all right, then came the nodding. First they missed the last word in each line of the verse and nodded; then, under the con-ducto-’s instructions, the nodding increased in frequency. They sang the words “John Brown’s body,” then for the remainder of the line podded sufficiently to almost waggle their heads off. Next time through they only sang "John” in each line and nodded the rest. Those at the back of the hall had the best of the joke, and it was really amusing to see hundreds of heads bobbing up and down to the music as if their lives depended on them keeping time. “The trail that leads to home,” “Come to the fair,” and “A perfect day” were all swing heartily, and when the conductor asked what was to be the next song some wanted number three and others number fif-> teen, so on the decision of the chairman numbers three and twenty-one (“Pack up your troubles” and “Just a wee deochi an-doris”) were happily gone through. The ladies sang the first verse of “Home sweet home,” and all joined in the chorus, and the men sang the second verse. The gathering broke up with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne.” During an interval when a collection was taken up Mr Marshall said the hall was engaged every night next week, but Mr Woods had offered to let the public have an hour’s communify singing before pictures next Wednesday. This course was decided upon, and the next sing-song would be held next. Wednesday in conjunction with the pictures, and will commence at 7.45, closing at 8.45. The charges are to be picely nominal, fid adults and 3d children, including pictures. Mr Furley will be the conductor and Mr W. H. Taylor chairman. Before the gathering dispersed Mr Vuglar expressed appreciation of the services of Mrs Cooke and Mr Foster.